January 2024 update
We hope your 2024 has got off to a great start. The team here is energised and ready to make a huge difference this year.
As Auckland Anniversary weekend approaches, we’re reminded that this time last year, thousands of New Zealanders were going through the darkest time of their lives as the Auckland floods, followed closely by Cyclone Gabrielle, took their toll.
We’d like to take this moment of reflection on the past year to say thank you for your support of SVA, whatever shape that took, in 2023. As a grassroots charity, SVA relies on the support of people like you to empower students to do good in their community. Thank you for everything you do for our next generation of volunteers.
In other news, we’re pleased to share some insights into our impact in 2023 and celebrate the achievements of some of our amazing Service Award volunteers. We’ve also put together a survey to find out more about why you choose to support SVA. Read on to find out more!
Thank you for what you did
When the Auckland Anniversary floods hit on January 27 2023, SVA mobilised over 1300 dedicated volunteers to conduct welfare checks, help clear debris and offer support to communities.
When Cyclone Gabrielle hit just days later, our team continued to work seven days a week to keep those affected by the flooding as safe as possible.
Once the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke’s Bay was understood, SVA partnered with Task Force Kiwi and supported expert volunteers clearing debris with chainsaws and diggers in the community.
When it was safe to do so, a team of student volunteers traveled down and joined the effort to assist with cleaning up the homes of those who had lost everything.
One year on, we’d like to take this opportunity to extend a huge thank you to our students and volunteers; to the team at Task Force Kiwi; and to each and every one of you who helped rebuild communities through donations of equipment and money.
When you support SVA, you empower young people. You ensure our volunteers are equipped with the skills and resources to help rebuild communities and cultivate a resilient volunteering culture that will last across generations. Please consider making an annual donation.
2023 at a glance
Across primary, secondary and tertiary education settings, over 100,000 SVA volunteers gave over 400,000 hours of their time to volunteering in 2023.
Through our Service Award programme alone, volunteers completed 230,107 hours of volunteering - whether it was helping at school or in their community; looking after animals or their neighbour’s garden. This is Aotearoa’s next generation, and we can’t wait to see what they will achieve. Take a look at these insights taken from our end-of-year survey (based on 443 Service Award responses).
Top Volunteer 2023: Donia Mikhaeil
SVA’s Top Volunteer for 2023 was Donia Mikhaeil from Rolleston College, who volunteered an amazing 1,449 hours.
Donia signed up to the SVA Service Award in Year 12 after a couple of years where she felt she was heading in the wrong direction and isolating herself from her peers.
Showing that giving back can come in all different shapes and sizes, Donia has earned her badges in a range of ways, from helping at school events to putting together hampers for the homeless. Through volunteering, she’s learned new ways to communicate and connect with her community.